by L. B. Dunbar
“Definitely sure,” she smiled up at me.
“Can we do that again, then?” I leaned into her and covered her mouth. Her hands slipped over my shoulders, up my neck and across my scalp like I loved. I loved her, and that was all that mattered.
More than one quest fulfilled…three months later
[Perkins]
It was months later. The uncertainty of our record was beginning to clear. Lansing had written a song for his new girl, which I finally met when he had a small house warming party. He wanted to show off his new place, as well as, his new future family. I was able to share the news of my future family, as well. This celebration pushed Tristan over the edge. He was determined he needed to get away and immediately asked Kaye to book him a flight out of town. We tried to talk him out of going anywhere, but he was adamant. He needed a break.
Before that happened, he agreed to one thing in regards to the album. I couldn’t write a song to save my life. I couldn’t sing either. But I knew someone who could, and after much convincing and sexual favors that were favorable to me, too, she gave in. I wanted Hollister to lay down a duet with either Lansing or Tristan. Tristan had sung solos before. On our first album he had written a few of the songs, and he showcased his talent in two of them. His voice wasn’t the raspy sound of Arturo, but it made women swoon all the same.
He hadn’t disagreed, but he wasn’t pleased. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Tristan was jealous of the settling down of the band. First Arturo, then Lansing, now me. I couldn’t count Arturo any longer, as it had been seven months since his disappearance. We were finished discussing the why, as we knew he was alive. I was still convinced it was a matter of when. When he returned was undetermined, but he would return. I believed that implicitly. The unanswered question for Lansing was still, where has Arturo been? For Tristan it was, how could Arturo do this to Guinie and the band? If love existed, how could he torture her so much with his continued absence? He was convinced that true love should not be separated.
Regardless of our questions, we tried to remain tight and true to the band. Kaye set up the studio time, and we ran through the song a few times. It was one already written by Arturo but unfinished. We needed a lead singer. It occurred to me that the singer could be a featured artist, although she wasn’t really an acclaimed artist. Tristan was still skeptical but Kaye must have believed in me, after an impromptu audition in his office. Hollister kept saying she couldn’t do it, but I told her to focus on me, which is what she had to do in the studio.
It was unconventional, but so had become many things for us lately. Turned to face me, Hollister kept her gaze on mine as the music piped into the studio. The tracks were laid so the pre-recorded music filled the space. Tristan stood next to her, as did Lansing for further harmony. The rhythm of my drums took the lead and Hollister followed. She sang that melody she’d sung before. One she was convinced had come from a mother she never knew, but was certain sang to her. Her words enveloped us all and on the first take Tristan missed his queue. He stared at Hollister in disbelief.
“Damn, girl,” he muttered into his mic, and the brief laughter broke the tension. Tristan winked at me, and all was right in our world for the moment. Kaye had the music cued up again, and Hollister began a second time. They made it through one set, then another. Both times Kaye stood in amazement at how calm Hollister was for never having sung live before. Grace under pressure. I think that was how she survived all the trauma of her life. She wasn’t graceful in movement like Guinevere, although certainly seductive and alluring. It was more than that. Hollister was calm and collected under pressure. Her determination for survival was one thing that made men covet her. Her unattainability held her apart. Her faith in a greater goodness kept her out of reach.
Until you knew her like me, then you recognized a scared woman lay underneath that bravado, one who had been through more than any life deserved. She was resilient, though. She did not lose her faith. That was the glory for me, she was willing to give love a chance. Be it a sin or not, I was the one to covet her. Not her body for a greater purpose. Not her possessions for a higher power, but her. Her love I desired and she gave it to me willingly. I would treasure her the rest of my days. Her life, and the life inside her, that was mine, too. My quest was finally fulfilled, but a new adventure was certain to begin with her by my side.
A bit of history…
A true Arthurian historian might roll his eyes at my knowledge of the Arthurian legends. As I do have several people ask questions or their interest piqued into my correlation, I feel the need to do a bit of explaining. I’ll start with Perkins Vale’s story which came from Percival. A knight pure of heart and virtue, he was a virgin. He was big and awkward, and hidden in the woods as his mother did not want him to join the knights. He might die like his father did, in her opinion. Eventually, he is allowed to leave the woods as the need to join the adventures of medieval knights was too great for him. He had many similarities to my Perkins: a mentor, a need to prove himself with the Red Knight, and a confrontation with Sir Kay, the foster brother. He witnessed this strange ceremony with a knife, a bowl and candles. Percival also did see the Holy Grail, and touch it; however, we never know if he possessed it. His story was literally left unfinished by the creator, and all of history has wondered, did he find the Grail or not? In his story, Percival also meets a woman in a tent (Blanchefleur), professes his love to her, and we like to hope he returned to marry her. Again, with an unfinished story, we never know. Many predict he died a virgin. I wanted a happier ending for him.
SPOILER: The Story of Lansing Lotte deserves a touch of explanation, as well. If you’ve read it, you know that he is tricked by Elaine, and this is historically correct. The result of their union is a child. In the legends, he marries Elaine but continues the affair with Guinevere. It is in Arthur’s extended absence that this affair begins. I couldn’t do that. Lancelot was loved by a second woman named Elaine, who took her life in desperation when Lancelot would not return her love. He was surrounded by women who were loyal to him despite his lack of interest. While historically, he only loved one woman, I had to give him a happier ending. Lila is not a part of his original story.
Finally, The Legend of Arturo King is basically fan-fiction of The Legend of King Arthur. There are so many similarities: the youth living with a foster father and brother, the special guitar (sword) taken and played, the mother’s rape, the father’s wealth, and the call to be a leader. The mentor, the house called Camlann, the business called Camelot, and the round table, initially owned by Leodegrance. Arthur did produce an heir with his step-sister, and his son rivaled him as a father. Arturo and Guinie’s love affair is the center of my story, but it wasn’t actually the center of King Arthur’s. Eventually, Arthur “disappeared” and a greater portion of his legend is the time without him, when the great affair took place.
Up next is The Truth of Tristan Lyons. While not originally part of the Arthurian legend, it could be considered original fan fiction. Written as an offshoot of The Legend of King Arthur, it is often assumed it was part of the original story. It was not, but it’s one of my favorite side stories. Tristan was written as a member of Arthur’s court, and his tale interwove with Arthur’s. His tale became the perfect fourth story of my band, The Nights.
Thank you…to my band of knights: Kari Ayasha, dubbed cover designer extraordinaire; Brenda Wright, formatting scholar; and my squire in editing, Karen Hrdlicka. Some additional ladies need accolades: Karen Fischer and Ella Stewart for eagle eye reading. In addition, my court includes the encouragement of The Naughty Nine, Dunbar’s Dreamers, Novel Love Notes, and The Nights FB groups. Endless blogs are included in the kingdom and I appreciate their continued attendance at my feasts of celebration. I’d like to especially thank Eye Candy Bookstore for daily promotions. Finally, to my ladies in waiting, a huge virtual hug to the women who keep me sane and humble, Author BFFs. No queendom is complete without a king and some offspring, so thank you t
o them for their continued patience with weak dinners, lack of laundry, and a forgotten appointment, or two.
I love to make friends, so feel free to contact me at all the usual market places:
Facebook (www.facebook.com/lbdunbarauthor), Twitter (@lbdunbarwrites), website (www.lbdunbar.com), Pinterest, Instagram and my newsletter (http://eepurl.com/bjUJpf).
All my books are available on all major sales channels as ebooks and in print.
Playlist…
I love a playlist for a story, and as this collection is about a rock band, it needs music.
Here is Perkins and Hollister’s soundtrack.
Enjoy. Happy Listening!
“Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream ---- hit repeat, repeat, repeat on this one
“Warning” – Incubus
“Believe” – The Bravery
“Unchained Melody” – Righteous Brothers
“Mess Is Mine” – Vance Joy
“When I Look At You” – Miley Cyrus
“Close to Me” – The Cure
“Desire” – Meg Myers
“Faint” – Linkin Park
“The End” – Kings of Leon
“Heart Is a Drum” – Beck
“At Last” – Etta James
“Never Let Me Go” – Florence+The Machines
About the Author…
L.B. Dunbar loves to read to the point it might be classified as an addiction. The past few years especially she has relished the many fabulous YA authors, the new genre of New Adult, traditional romances, and historical romances. A romantic at heart, she’s been accused of having an overactive imagination, as if that was a bad thing. Author of the Sensations Collection, Sound Advice, Taste Test, Fragrance Free, Touch Screen, and Sight Words, she is also author of the Legendary Rock Star series, beginning with The Legend of Arturo King. She grew up in Michigan, but has lived in Chicago for longer, calling it home with her husband and four children.
Table of Contents
(Untitled)
The night of the concert…
[Perkins]
Earlier that night…
[Perkins]
His home…
[Hollister]
My place continued…
[Perkins]
Quest One: the dream twelve years ago…
[Perkins]
The next morning…
[Perkins]
The streets…
[Hollister]
The morning after the concert…
[Perkins]
The band in the forest: eleven years ago…meeting Lansing Lotte
[Perkins]
The rest of the day after…
[Perkins]
Lady of the evening…
[Hollister]
The band in the forest ten years ago…meeting Kaye Sirs
[Perkins]
The shelter…
[Hollister]
Quest Two: The girl in the tent ten years ago…
[Perkins]
Another night…
[Hollister]
A couple weeks later…
[Perkins]
The band in the forest ten years ago…meeting Arturo King
[Perkins]
The call…
[Perkins]
The call continued…
[Hollister]
A nightmare untold…
[Hollister]
The darkness…
[Perkins]
The night continued…
[Hollister]
The car ride with Lansing Lotte…
[Hollister]
The day with Lansing…
[Perkins]
The women’s shelter…
[Hollister]
The street…
[Perkins]
One night…
[Hollister]
A memory returned…
[Hollister]
Some nights…
[Perkins]
The hunt…
[Hollister]
The hunt continued…
[Perkins]
The road trip…
[Perkins]
Meeting his mother…
[Hollister]
Under covers...
[Perkins]
Halloween masquerade…
[Perkins]
Halloween masquerade continued…
[Hollister]
All Hallow’s Eve…
[Hollister]
All Soul’s Day…
[Perkins]
Another hunt …
[Hollister]
The hunt undone…
[Perkins]
The morning after…
[Hollister]
A new hunt…
[Perkins]
Giving thanks…
[Hollister]
Some truth…
[Perkins]
More truths…
[Hollister]
More truths continued…
[Hollister]
Arturo alive…
[Perkins]
The dream…a new one…
[Perkins]
More time…
[Perkins]
More time continued…
[Hollister]
A gift stolen…
[Hollister]
A gift returned…
[Perkins]
A treasure found…
[Hollister]
A night of torture…
[Perkins]
A treasure hunt…
[Perkins]
My savior…
[Hollister]
Return to the woods…
[Perkins]
Returned to the woods continued…
[Hollister]
Her, just her…
[Perkins]
His, all his…
[Hollister]
A moonlit night…
[Perkins]
A priest and a prayer…
[Hollister]
The final conquest…
[Perkins]
More than one quest fulfilled…three months later
[Perkins]
A bit of history…
Playlist…
About the Author…
